AUSTIN, Texas — The Red River Cultural District, situated in the heart of Downtown Austin, is known as a live music hot spot. And business owners in the area have said it is the driving force for tourism.
It is a reason why, as rent costs have gone up in recent months, those owners have been fighting for financial support from the city. On Thursday, during Austin's city council meeting, they finally got it.
City council members approved a resolution that directs the city manager to find that funding and support toward the dozens of businesses and venues that make up the Red River Cultural District. The measure will also allow the city to look into supporting new and existing cultural districts.
Owners and district members have argued they weren't getting enough help and needed support to keep the district alive.
Councilmember Zo Qadri, who sponsored the resolution, released the following statement:
"If Austin is going to be the 'Live Music Capital of the World,' then we need to back that up with action. By investing in our cultural districts, we aren't just saying we value the artists and musicians that make our city a great place to live, we're making a smart economic investment in a key part of downtown."
The next step is for the city manager to come back to council with recommendations for where the money would come from and how else the city can promote and support the cultural district.
The deadline for the city manager to provide those recommendations is May 2.
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